The highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 has finally arrived, with football enthusiasts worldwide eagerly awaiting the clash of some of the best teams on the continent. The tournament is set to run from Saturday, January 13, to February 11, promising a month of thrilling matches and intense competition.
As tradition dictates, Ivory Coast, the hosts of AFCON 2023, will kick off the tournament against Guinea-Bissau at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium on Saturday at 9 p.m., following the customary opening ceremony.
Following the tournament opener, other group-stage games will commence on Sunday, January 14, with the Super Eagles of Nigeria facing Equatorial Guinea at 3 p.m. in a match expected to draw significant attention.
AFCON 2023 is packed with exciting group-stage fixtures, including marquee matchups like Ivory Coast versus Nigeria in Group A, Egypt against Ghana in Group B, Senegal versus Cameroon in Group C, and Algeria versus Burkina in Group D. Other notable group-stage games include Tunisia against Mali in Group E and Zambia against Morocco in Group F.
Here is a comprehensive list of the Group Stage fixtures, kick-off times, and where to watch AFCON 2023:
Group A
- Saturday, January 13: Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau, 9 p.m.
- Sunday, January 14: Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea, 3 p.m.
- Thursday, January 18: Equatorial Guinea vs Guinea-Bissau, 3 p.m.
- Ivory Coast vs Nigeria, 6 p.m.
- Monday, January 22: Equatorial Guinea vs Ivory Coast, 6 p.m.
- Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria, 6 p.m.
Group B
- Sunday, January 14: Egypt vs Mozambique, 6 p.m.
- Ghana vs Cape Verde, 9 p.m.
- Thursday, January 18: Egypt vs Ghana, 9 p.m.
- Friday, January 19: Cape Verde vs Mozambique, 3 p.m.
- Monday, January 22: Cape Verde vs Egypt, 9 p.m.
- Mozambique vs Ghana, 9 p.m
Group C
- Monday, January 15: Senegal vs Gambia, 3 p.m.
- Cameroon vs Guinea, 6 p.m.
- Friday, January 19: Senegal vs Cameroon, 6 p.m.
- Guinea vs Gambia, 9 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 23: Gambia vs Cameroon, 6 p.m.
- Guinea vs Senegal, 6 p.m.
Group D
- Monday, January 15: Algeria vs Angola, 9 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 16: Burkina Faso vs Mauritania, 3 p.m.
- Saturday, January 20: Algeria vs Burkina Faso, 3 p.m.
- Mauritania vs Angola, 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 23: Angola vs Burkina Faso, 9 p.m.
- Mauritania vs Algeria, 9 p.m.
Group E
- Tuesday, January 16: Tunisia vs Namibia, 6 p.m.
- Mali vs South Africa, 9 p.m.
- Saturday, January 20: Tunisia vs Mali, 9 p.m.
- Sunday, January 21: South Africa vs Namibia, 9 p.m.
- Wednesday, January 24: Namibia vs Mali, 6 p.m.
- South Africa vs Tunisia, 6 p.m.
Group F
- Wednesday, January 17: Morocco vs Tanzania, 6 p.m.
- DR Congo vs Zambia, 9 p.m.
- Sunday, January 21: Morocco vs DR Congo, 3 p.m.
- Zambia vs Tanzania, 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, January 24: Tanzania vs DR Congo, 9 p.m.
- Zambia vs Morocco, 9 p.m.
Where to Watch AFCON 2023: Football enthusiasts can catch the action across the globe through various outlets. Here are the rights holders for different regions:
Algeria
- Rights holders: ENTV
Andorra
- Rights holders: LaLiga+
Austria
- Rights holders: Sportdigital
Belgium
- Rights holders: RTBF
Benin
- Rights holders: ORTB
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Rights holders: Sport Klub
Brazil
- Rights holders: Band
Bulgaria
- Rights holders: Max Sport
Burkina Faso
- Right holders: RTB
Cameroon
- Right holders: CRTV, Canal 2
Canada
- Right holders: beIN Sports
Cape Verde
- Right holders: RTC
Chad
- Right holders: Télé Tchad
Croatia
- Right holders: Sport Klub
Democratic Republic of Congo
- Right holders: RTNC
Denmark
- Right holders: Viaplay
Egypt
- Right holders: beIN sports
Finland
- Right holders: Viaplay
France
- Right holders: beIN Sports
Gabon
- Right holders: Gabon TV
Gambia
- Right holders: GRTS
Germany
- Right holders: Sportdigital
Ghana
- Right holders: GBC
Guinea
- Right holders: RTG
Guinea Bissau
- Right holders: TGB
Iceland
- Right holders: Viaplay
India
- Right holders: FanCode
Ireland
- Right holders: Sky Sports
Italia
- Right holders: Sportitalia
Ivory Coast
- Right holders: RTI, NCI
Kenya
- Right holders: KBC
Liechtenstein
- Right holders: Sportdigital
Luxembourg
- Right holders: Sportdigital
Malawi
- Right holders: MBC
Mali
- Right holders: ORTM
MENA
- Right holders: beIN Sports
Montenegro
- Right holders: Sport Klub
Morocco
- Right holders: SNRT
Mozambique
- Right holders: TV Miramar
Namibia
- Right holders: NBC
Netherlands
- Right holders: Ziggo Sport
Niger
- Right holders: Tele Sahel
Nigeria
- Right holders: NTA, Startime, and DSTV
North Macedonia
- Right holders: Sport Klub
Norway
- Right holders: Viaplay
Poland
- Right holders: MEGOGO
Portugal
- Right holders: Sport TV
Russia
- Right holders: Okko Sport
San Marino
- Right holders: Sportitalia
Senegal
- Right holders: RTS
Serbia
- Right holders: Sport Klub
Slovenia
- Right holders: Sport Klub
South Africa
- Right holders: SABC Sport
Spain
- Right holders: LaLiga+
Sub-Saharan Africa
- Right holders: New World TV, Canal+, StarTimes, SuperSport
Switzerland
- Right holders: Sportdigital
Sweden
- Right holders: Viaplay
Tanzania
- Right holders: TBC, Azam TV
Togo
- Right holders: TVT
Turkey
- Right holders: TV8, S Sport
Ukraine
- Right holders: MEGOGO
United Kingdom
- Right holders: Sky Sports
United States
- Right holders: beIN Sports
Zambia
- Right holders: Diamond TV
Zimbabwe
- Right holders: ZBC